The Department of Conservation wants Christmas holiday travellers to take their time and enjoy the sights on the alternate route between Picton and Christchurch.
State Highway One South of Kaikoura only reopened yesterday after the November quake caused severe slips - but it restricted to daylight hours, between 6am and 8pm, until all slip faces are stabilised and traffic signals are installed along a 1km coastal section of the route which is still down to a single lane.
State Highway One north of Kaikoura is still badly damaged - and it will take up to a year for both the road and rail lines to reopen.
John Wotherspoon is DOC's Operations Manager for Nelson Lakes
